Search

Anyone who has been drinking for more than a year will be able to tell you what drink they avoid like the plague. This is the drink that makes us do things we should never do, it’s our booze enemy. Everyone has a “worst night ever” and a “I’m never drinking (insert liquor here) again” story. I have a few of these liquors in my life but none that haunt me quite like the demon that is tequila. Tequila has made me do things that include but aren’t limited to: eating my birthday cake with my hands like a one year old (there were forks, I just chose not to use them), having a domestic dispute with my roommate outside of a McDonald’s and shouting “GET YOUR OWN DAMN CHICK NUGS” at 3am, or ruining Valentine’s Day for perfectly nice strangers.

The worst part of having this type of relationship with a liquor is that you know what it does to you but you ignore the cold hard facts repeatedly. You tell yourself that this time you will drink in moderation and really show everyone that you’ve learned to handle yourself. You won’t be walking home with one flip flop on and crying into your phone because you can’t remember what your new apartment number is, no ma’am, you will be in bed at a normal time and sans hangover. You are telling yourself lies, because your regret liquor won’t let you do that – it will make you question your very being the next day as you look through your outgoing calls and read your incoherent texts.

Properly ashamed

My first real brush with my once and future frenemy, tequila, was on the night before my 21st birthday. My birthday is February 15th, the day after Valentine’s Day. This is great for many reasons – gentleman admirers can buy me roses and chocolate at discount prices, friends and family can easily remember the date, and restaurants are typically not overbooked the day after Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, for most of the patrons of La Fiesta in Pittsburgh, my friends took me out for my 21st birthday dinner the night before my birthday.

La Fiesta was not the classiest joint, but it was BYOB and lax about carding. Since a majority of my friends were not yet 21, it was the perfect place for birthday dinner. There was a group of over 15 of us rolling in with boxes of Franzia Crisp White and Sunset Blush and my crush at the time, known as Dreamweaver by my college roomies, had decided to buy me a bottle of tequila to celebrate my Mexican themed night out. The night started off okay, a few shots of tequila for me, glasses of wine all around the table and lots of food and fun.

Then suddenly I was wearing a sombrero, my hair was pulled up in a bun and a birthday crown was on my head and I was profusely sweating through my v-neck sweater. I was also sporting some serious wine stained teeth, and there were stickers on my chest that spelled out happy birthday. I was the very definition of hot mess.

I blame the tequila for what happened next. There was cake and everyone sang Happy Birthday. The other patrons in the restaurant, young couples trying to enjoy a Valentine’s Day dinner together over a bottle of wine, even clapped for me. I was excited to share my birthday with such nice strangers who had also seemed to bring me flowers (nope, not for you drunk Erin, why would strangers do that?).

I took the applause after my birthday serenade as a cue to deliver a speech… TO THE WHOLE RESTAURANT. I stood and raised a bottle of tequila and then thanked everyone in the room for coming out to celebrate my special day. I shook hands with couples at the tables nearest to mine and acted like we were best friends. I gave a speech that I don’t remember that ended with me loudly proclaiming to the room that it was my personal goal to be the white Oprah. Why this came up in a birthday speech is still beyond me.

Happy Birthday to ME!

After a long and likely hilariously uncomfortable speech, I toasted myself and then began chugging out of the bottle of tequila. I know this only because the photo evidence above. I’m not proud. I want to tell you that I went home and went to bed. I want to tell you that I didn’t call my mom at 3 in the morning and wake her up to thank her for birthing me. I want to tell you that I didn’t make anyone stick fingers down my throat so I could vomit because I couldn’t do it myself. But I can’t tell you things that aren’t true, I respect you too much.

This was my first brush with tequila disaster and shame. I’d like to tell you that I learned my lesson, but I think we’ve met. Two weeks ago I was out with my friends Molly and Shanyn for drinks. We were doing an all you can drink situation for one and a half hours. This seemed reasonable as we were planning only to get a little buzz before taking a taxi back and going to bed at a decent hour. Being the responsible 29 year old that I am, I decide to order the same drink all night because I’ve learned my lessons about mixing. I drank gin and gingers for most of the night until our friend Shane unexpectedly showed up. Shane was sober and we were pretty drunk but because we are such nice friends, we decided to suck it up and extend our all you can drink order for another hour. Disaster.

Suddenly I’m ordering Long Island Iced Teas. I ask the bartender if I can take a gander at his bottle of Macallan 18 and then pour myself a glass when I think he’s not looking. Then we’re playing a drinking game with the bartenders that involves clapping and you guessed it — shots of tequila. My night escapes me after this. There are pictures I don’t remember. I successfully managed to make it to another bar after vomiting in the bathroom of the first and not telling anyone. My night ended with my head in Molly’s kitchen sink because the bathroom sink and toilet sink were occupied by other barfers. Tequila, I just can’t quit you. You win, you always do.

There are more tequila stories, but I’ll save them for another time. A time when the memory of barfing in two separate bar bathrooms within the span of an hour is a distant memory and not something I feel like I am still having hideous flashbacks to.

The end.

PS – Dear Mom, if you are reading this, I apologize for calling you at 3am on the eve of my 21st birthday, that must have sucked – good thing I’m your favorite. Right?

I recently found vomit on my bathroom wall. Intrigued? Disgusted? Both ? Let me explain. I have reached the point in my life where going to bars and clubs has lost most of its magic. I hate shouting in people’s ears to talk, I hate small talk with friends of friends, I really hate when the bar is busy and it takes me ages just to get a beer, and I hate most of the music that plays on a vast majority of bar jukeboxes or loudspeakers.

My worst nightmare

At the age of twenty-nine, gone is the shiny luster and siren call of getting wasted. It’s not worth the all day hangover, the fear of blacking out, the fear of whatever I might say or do if/when I black out and the copious amounts of Advil I have to ingest to function enough to go grocery shopping the next day. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy a night out with my friends every now and again, but bar culture and my enjoyment of it fell by the wayside in my mid 20s after I settled into a real job.

When I moved to Japan two years ago I felt like my life would stay the same, with the occasional happy hour with friends or co-workers and maybe a semi-wild night out every few weeks. WRONG. So wrong. I spent the first six months smelling like a distillery. Every weekend was a party and the Japanese are believers in this magical/awful idea of paying a set price for an all you can drink situation. This set fee often includes my frenemy, tequila.

Why I shouldn’t drink. Picture 35 of 1000

Needless to say, I did a lot of dumb things. I got lost in a capital city on a bike and couldn’t find my way back to where I was staying. I passed out in the lobby bathroom of a love hotel and was kicked out. I passed out at a restaurant. I lost car keys in a sand dune (not my car keys, which made it worse). I did things I will never write about because my mom reads this and I love her.

My signature birthday drink was named after me.

So back to the vomit on the wall. After spending my first year in Japan enjoying the drinking culture, I decided to tone it down a bit as I settled into a less ridiculous social life and started taking time for myself. Truthfully, three of my best friends were training for a marathon this winter and had given up drinking. And because I’m not a complete boozeasaurus I sort of gave up too. I spent a lot of time writing, swimming, hanging out and watching movies. It was great, but I was starting to feel restless as spring rolled around.

The Scene of the Vom Crime

My friends completed their marathon and could officially drink again. While I’d had a few nights of partying over the winter and spring, I’d mostly been under control. It was a holiday weekend in Japan and my friend Molly was coming to my house to have dinner and work on a signature cocktail for a close friend’s upcoming 30th birthday bash. It was going to be a casual night – dinner, a drink or two and watching Archer on my computer and passing out before midnight so we could get up and drive to Hiroshima to take in an art exhibit and shop at Costco.

Keeping it classy on a Friday night.

I was making us a nice dinner like a proper grown up. Hell, I was even listening to jazz while I chopped up MULTIPLE kinds of vegetables. Yes, perhaps “Call Me Maybe” was being shout sung when Molly finally walked in my apartment instead of Miles Davis, but I swear I was listening to jazz at some point.

Molly unloaded a bag of booze on my table and I was taken aback. I was expecting two small bottles and some mixers to try out the drink – not a full bottle of Malibu and a full bottle of vodka. I continued cooking while she made our first drink and took over DJ duties. I can’t say the secret ingredients in our cocktail but each drink had a shot of vodka and shot of ‘Bu in it.

What I thought I was like

And now my night gets fuzzy. I had two drinks before we sat down to eat thai green curry. I admitted I felt tipsy but had another drink with dinner because I have the self control of a toddler. Soon I was five drinks in and if you are keeping track – that is ten shots of booze.

Things I Did After Ten Shots:

1) Talked about how much I love Disney World and cried

2) Wrapped Molly in a blanket like a baby

3) Spilled chip crumbs all over myself and my floor

4) Tripped over nothing on my way to the bathroom multiple times

5) Vommed all over myself for the first time in my life

My life

6) Cried when I thought I ruined my Game of Thrones dire wolf t-shirt I had vommed on

7) Vommed in a trail from my bedroom to my bathroom, but then cleaned, mopped, disinfected and sprayed my house down. However I seemed to have missed key places like that hip level amount of vom I found three days later. I also found some on my laptop bag on my way to work two days later. Classy.

8) Used a Tide stick on my direwolf shirt and managed to save it. I feel incredibly responsible about this.

Saved by the Tide Stick!

9) Passed out with no pants on and then almost shivered to death.

I woke up the next morning with little to no memory of my previous night. My sheets and room smelled of coconut vomit and my mouth tasted like a bag of dicks (disgusting, but I need you to understand). Molly was also incredibly hungover. We were supposed to be on the road at 10am and instead were in my house just moaning and lying on the floor til almost 1pm.

The aftermath

I was so hungover I could not stand in the shower and had to sit. By the time we made it to the car I thought I was feeling better. I was riding the high of the restorative qualities of water and Advil. I felt invincible or at least okay enough to drive. Molly spent the majority of the 2 hour car ride in the fetal position staring straight ahead with her eyes open and mouth shut. When I later asked about this she told me she was afraid to close her eyes or open her mouth for fear of puking. Classic.

Post Advil I’m feeling good.

By the time we reach the area near the museum I have intense booze sweats and haven’t eaten a thing since spilling chips down my body the night before. We make it to the museum and Molly seems to be doing much better and even begins to talk. I become increasingly worse as I wander around.

I’m like that person in a horror movie who you think is only minorly injured but you later find out has been bleeding out for hours. I need to sit down against the wall and put my head between my legs. The room is spinning. I’m not sure if I’m dehydrated or have low blood sugar. We leave and buy sodas. The caffeine and sugar gives us both enough energy to make it to Costco.

What is the sixth circle of hell you ask? No Dante, it’s not heresy, but rather being in Costco whilst hungover. There are crowds and food smells and people pushing. We shop as quickly as possible and on a whim, thinking we’ll eventually be hungry, I get us a rotisserie chicken to eat back at Molly’s place.

My other worst nightmare

By the time we leave Costco I am starting to feel hungry. We open some chips and eat them as we drive out of Hiroshima. As we reach the halfway point of our destination the siren call of the chicken proves to be too much. I pull over into a 7/11 parking lot and go in to buy baby wipes and a drink.

Molly and I pull out the chicken as we sit in the front of my car and begin to ravage it with our hands. We’re in a post hangover feeding frenzy. It’s like watching kids at fat camp discover the kitchen’s stockpile of ice cream. Juices are dripping down my chin and arms. Molly has ripped off a chicken leg and is gnawing on it as she leans out of the passenger side.

Costco chicken on my lap

Please keep in mind that this is happening in front of a busy 7/11. We are getting stares. Japanese business men are smoking cigarettes outside and staring at us in absolute horror and disgust. We don’t give a shit. A woman pulls into the space next to us and double takes the scene. It’s assuredly gross.

In less than 10 minutes the two of us have demolished a chicken. As I wrapped up the carcass in a plastic bag and disposed of it in the 7/11 garbage can, I silently vowed to never be that hungover again. I get back into the car and we continue our journey home, leaving our dignity and a decimated chicken somewhere outside of Hiroshima.

RIP lil’ buddy

The end.

Got any great hungover stories? Leave your shame in the comments below. I think I’ll keep this going as a semi-weekly blog feature. Maybe I’ll shame myself enough into actually knowing when to stop? But probably not! Thanks for reading!

I am doing this week’s recap a little differently because I am really struggling with the timeliness of getting the blog out after episodes. I get extremely overwhelmed by the amount of plot covered in the episodes this season. It seems like a hundred things are happening at once and I can never remember them and then I freak out and have to watch again. So this week I am going to talk about the things that I really want to talk about instead of re-hashing the plot. I hope you are cool with the change-up.

Jon Snow and Ygritte

To say I was looking forward to their bang sesh would be a gross understatement. George RR Martin doesn’t write particularly sexy sex scenes but the one stand-out in the books is the sex between Jon and Ygritte in the cave. It’s passionate and emotional and super hot. Like, I think I need cigarette afterwards and I’m going dog ear the page and come back to that later kind of hot. So let’s say my expectations were high and not met.

We haven’t had a lot Jon and Ygritte time on the show this season and so I felt like there was no sexual tension building. Last season they were the focus of a few episodes and her playful teasing of the virginal Snow was funny and sexy. But it just seemed out of the blue that all of a sudden we are back beyond the wall and Ygritte just decides to steal Jon’s sword and run into a cave. Of course he chases her in, but when she drops her furs and gets naked, it seems abrupt. There’s no foreplay, no urgency.

And Jon succumbs really quickly. I mean, I know Ygritte is hot and sassy, but it just seems sort of out of character that all of a sudden he’s going to give up his vows. In the books it’s made clear that having sex with Ygritte is necessary because people are beginning to think it’s strange they aren’t doing it and that makes the wildlings question Jon’s allegiance.

If he is humping one of their own then it’s more believable that he is a free man since he isn’t keeping his vow. In the books, Jon hits it but the sex is so hot that he can’t help himself and then winds up falling in love with Ygritte. It’s sweet and sexy and their cave scene is touching and hot, but on the show — I’m gonna say it, “meh”.

I wanted to love this scene but I didn’t even get to see Jon Snow’s abs. C’mon HBO — we see tits all the time and I can’t get an extended ass or abs shot of Kit Harrington? Bullshit. Also, it just wasn’t working for me. I needed more of a Jon and Ygritte connection though I do love that they included what we’ll call “The Lords Kiss” moment — get it Ygritte. If this is the only sex scene we get between these two, Imma be real pissed. But yeah. Didn’t need a cigarette after all, bummer.

Jamie and Brienne

Jamie Lannister was the MVP of this episode. First, he is taken in front of Lord Bolton and even though I am disgusted by the twincest between Cersei and Jamie it shows how loyal he is that he immediately asks if she is okay and alive. Cersei does not deserve this sort of love and devotion. Bolton tells Jamie that Cersei is safe and Stannis’s rebellion was put down. Jamie reminds Bolton that his family is very rich and that he may be fighting for the losing side. Also, if someone doesn’t fix his stump, he’s going to die of infection. He’s not wrong. That thing is nasty as hell.

He goes to see Bolton’s maester who tells him it may be best to just cut off the whole arm. Jamie refuses and tells him he can just cut away the infected skin. The ex-maester tells him it’s going to hurt and Jamie replies that he’ll scream. Once again we are given a scene of Jamie going through unbearable pain and it’s pretty awful. After the cutting sesh they allow Jamie to go soak in the tubs and clean up since he’s seriously disgusting at this point.

When Jamie arrives he finds that Brienne is already soaking in a tub as well. She flinches as Jamie skips the first tub in order to get in one with her and she even tells him there are other tubs. Jamie is still a total scamp and walks around all hot and naked and showing it off in front of virginal Brienne. Props to HBO for showing some hot man ass. Jamie gets in the tub but stays in the corner while Brienne hangs in the other corner.

Jamie is being Jamie and provokes Brienne to the point where she stands up full on naked and stares him down. She pauses just for a second when realizes what she is naked in front of the kingslayer but she stands her ground and stares him down as he did to her. It’s fucking great. Also, Brienne has a pretty nice body considering how the book describes her as the ugliest person ever. Howevs, we totes can see that Jamie is taking it in. FUTURE ROMANCE PLEASE, GEORGE RR MARTIN!

After Brienne calms down, Jamie delivers what is the best monologue of the night and possibly of the season so far explaining how he became the kingslayer. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau really fucking knocks it out of the park. I was watching it with two other people and we were absolutely mesmerized by his story, as was Brienne.

He tells the tale of the mad king loving to watch people burn and how he had to stand back while jars of wildfyre were placed all over the city and innocent lords, ladies, families, and supposed enemies burned at the request of Mad King Aerys. When it became too much and the kingdom rebelled against the insanity, the Lannister army showed up at the gates of the city to kill the king.

Jamie tried to talk him into surrendering, he knew the Lannisters and Baratheons would prevail, but Aerys was crazy. He told Jamie to bring him his own father’s head. When things became desperate Jamie begged him to surrender again and the mad king just told his pyromancer to set the whole city on fire using the wildfyre he had placed all over the grounds.

Aerys would sooner watch thousands of innocent people die before he surrendered. Jamie tells this story near tears. Hell, even Brienne is near tears for him. What would you do if you knew thousands of innocent people and your father would die if you let this crazy man get his way? So Jamie took his sword and slew the king.

Jamie didn’t want glory or power and he wasn’t trying to usurp the throne – he just decided that killing one person (one he was sworn to protect) was worth it to save the lives of thousands. Ned Stark was the one who found him with the blood of Aerys on his sword and because Ned didn’t like the Lannisters and likely found Jamie to be cocky, he assumed that Jamie was trying to take the throne.

So the name Kingslayer was given. Ned Stark didn’t understand and Jamie was too proud to ever speak up. He broke his oath, but he knows he did the right thing. When Brienne asks why he didn’t speak up, it seemed obvious how painful it was to admit that it seemed no one would believe his word over the great Ned Stark’s.

The heat of the baths, the emotion of the story, the likely raging fever Jamie had from infection cause him to stand up and keel over. When Brienne yells “Kingslayer” and rushes to his aid without thinking twice, he tells her “Call me Jamie” as she holds him in her arms. And then my heart breaks and I wish silently that they get it on at least once in the series. Sigh. Jamie. Also, I am seriously considering writing a GoT parody song called “Call Me Jamie” to the tune of “Call Me Maybe”. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Can I say one more time that scene was the hands down best of the night? Because seriously. Chills.

One of the Scenes that That Made Me Cry (Yeah, I said “one of”, get over it)…

Gendry and Arya

There was a sweet goodbye scene between Gendry and Arya that I loved. My friends I debated how far apart in age they were — we think about four years — an acceptable amount for marriage one day. While saying goodbye, Gendry tells Arya that he is staying with the Brotherhood without Banners where he has never had to serve anyone. He’s going to be a smith for them and he will help fight.

Arya tells him to come with her and he says that she has family. She has brothers, a sister, and a mother but Arya tells him he can be her family. He gives her a look that is heartbreaking (he is so damn hot) and says “You’d be my lady.” Sigh. I know he means that she is of royal blood and she would be his Lady but in my heart of hearts, I also love the idea of her being his actual lady – Styx style. I mean, he IS half Baratheon and Arya wouldn’t give a fuck ’bout marrying a bastard. However, because I have read the books, I know there are other things in store for Arya. Sigh.

There are a few choice Arya scenes this week. The episode opens with an epic fight between the Hound and Berric Dondarion that includes fire and crazy cave fighting. It was really intense and awesome. The Hound even catches on fire before he slices Dondarrion down the middle. As soon as Berric falls, the red priest Thoros comes in to chant over him and brings him back to life. Arya and the Hound are completely gobsmacked.

The Hound is free to go but is told the lord of light isn’t through with him yet and then Berric eventually explains to Arya later that night that he has died at least six times now but Thoros brings him back afterwards. Arya heartbreakingly asks if Thoros can bring back a man with no head. I cried again. Get over it.

Thoros explains that it doesn’t work that way and then Berric tells her that every time he comes back he comes back as less of who he was. Arya doesn’t care, she’d take her father any way she could get him. She also learns that the Brotherhood is planning on taking her to Riverrun to reunite with her family. At least there is that. Poor Arya!

Robb

Ugh. This story bores me already. Basically the Karstarks murder the Lannister captives and in return Robb has to dole out justice and kill the Karstarks (kin and important allies). Doing the right thing always seems to fuck people on this show and it seems pretty obvious that all of these “noble” choices Robb is making (like cutting off the head of his kinsman) is leading to a shitshow of a disaster. Lots of annoying talking in these scenes. Basically, I’m over it.

At Kings Landing

Tyrion and Lady Oleanna (Grandma Tyrell is the best) have a funny and frank discussion about the wedding and finances and Lannister/Tyrell relations. It’s full of sass and zingers as one might expect of a conversation between two of the show’s smartest and wittiest characters. I loved all of it and in the end, Tyrion gets Lady Oleanna to foot the bill for half of the wedding. One of my friends correctly stated “If she were thirty years younger Tyrion would have a raging boner for her.”Agreed.

One of the final scenes of the episode features Cersei and Tyrion having a meeting with their father. It seems that Tywin has gotten wind of the plotting between Varys and Lady Oleanna to arrange to have Sansa Stark marry Loras Tyrell. In order to keep the balance of power in favor of the Lannisters, Tywin arranges it that Tyrion must marry young Stansa and therefore guarantee the North for their future generations.

It’s awful and Tyrion is genuinely disgusted and sad that his father would stoop so low and shit so much on the happiness of himself and the young girl for power. Cersei just sits there and smiles like the queen bitch she is.

UNTIL…Cersei also finds out she will be marrying the heir to Highgarden, Loras Tyrell. Cersei objects to being used again as a breeding mare for future Lannisters but her father tells her she has no choice. All of sudden both Tyrion and Cersei are betrothed and their power is taken away from them by their pops. I almost felt bad for Cersei when she got the news, except she basked so gloriously in Tyrion’s terrible predicament that I had a hard time. Either way, the Lannister children seem pretty fucked at this point.

At Dragonstone

Stannis Baratheon is wrestling with the decisions he has made with his life and goes to see his wife to confess his infidelity. In a truly fucking creepy scene (yes, there are fetuses floating in formaldehyde) his crazed wife tells him she knows he is banging Melisandre but that it is an honor to her. She knows it is in the name of the Lord of Light. YIKES. Stannis goes to his daughter (adorable despite her greyface) and is really awkward with her, but it’s still kind of cute.

The last scene in this episode that made me cry was Shireen (Stannis’s little girl) going to see her friend Davos, the Onion Knight, in jail. It almost seems like the Onion Knight was more of a dad to her than her own. When she visits him she begins to teach him how to read and my heart grew three times it’s size like the Grinch’s on Christmas Day. Cue waterworks. DAMN IT.

Over the Narrow Sea

Khaleesi meets her unsullied and gives them new names. It’s cool. She is still awesome and rocking some great casual wear — so much better than the days of boiled leather with the Khal.

Jorah and Barristan have a conversation about loyalty and ruling and it is hinted that Barristan knows that Jorah has been up to something. Jorah senses this and the whole conversation is very loaded. This will definitely come into play later on. But in the meantime, let’s just bask in the glory of two hot old dudes riding around a dessert on horses. Thank you.

That’s all folks. I am done. Sorry this isn’t really comprehensive but I enjoy it more when I write about the shit I was loving instead of giving a play by play of the action. I’m going to remain a week late on these since I am heading off to Korea tomorrow night and brainstorming lyrics to “Call Me Jamie”.

WOW. I mean, seriously, FUCKING WOW. I know that Game of Thrones, even in its less than stellar episodes, will always entertain me but I forgot how a truly great episode leaves your jaw on the floor and your eyes misty. This was one of those episodes. It was jam packed with action and featured a major death, an escape, many wonderful conversations and secrets, and uprising that still has me smiling days after. There is much to discuss so let’s get down to it. Off to Westeros and beyond.

Jamie and Brienne

Is there any sight sadder Jamie’s hand just dangling around his neck? To top it off he looks like he is going to fall off his horse and Brienne is giving him such sad and pitying looks. Jamie does indeed fall off of his horse and face down into the mud. It’s awful to watch. The once mighty Kingslayer is now reduced to drinking horse piss and retching in a muddy pit. Yes, horse piss. Jamie is feverish and thirsty and Locke pours water on his face but then gives him horse piss to drink. VOM.

The behanded and forlorn Jamie Lannister.

Brienne’s facial reactions are just heartbreaking. She knows how much Jamie has lost and she also knows he saved her. After being humiliated, Jamie manages to pull a sword and puts up an admirable fight with his left hand (Brienne jumps off her horse and tries to help too) before being bested by Locke and his men. He has lost his identity, the one thing that made him truly special.

Later that night as Jamie sits around the fire with Brienne he tells her he wants to die and refuses to eat. She tells him that he has only tasted a small dose of reality and to stop being such a woman about it all. Buck up and get revenge Jamie! Her shaming of him for folding just because he lost his hand is enough to make him start eating and thinking. She is the best!

Obvi Jamie’s true love. Get on board George RR Martin

Brienne also tells Jamie she knows he saved her and asks him why. She doesn’t get her answer but I think it’s safe to say this is the beginning of a beautiful (and complicated) friendship. Also, the GoT coupling of my dreams. Let’s make this happen GRR Martin.

Theon

Man, shit is a mess for Theon. He thinks his sister’s friend is leading him to safety and confesses his sins against the Starks on the way. Theon is saying he betrayed his real family and that his true father lost his head on the steps of Baelor. Even though Theon has been a total shit, it’s hard to not feel an inkling of sympathy for him when he is saying this. The supposed helper picks the lock into the castle and leads Theon…RIGHT BACK TO THE TORTURE ROOM.

A real Bastard!

I knew this was coming as I know what a sadistic fucker the “helper” is from the books. Poor Theon. I sort of hope we really don’t see him for the next two seasons much like in the book. He’s sorry and he’s about to pay for all of his sins times a million. I have no desire to see it happen though. I’m not a sadist.

At Kings Landing

Varys

So much Varys this week. I loved it. I enjoy Varys enough in the books but on the screen he really comes to life and has become one of my favorite characters to watch interact with others. We finally get the story of how he became a eunuch and how he bided his time, learned the value of secrets and has worked his way up, waiting for his revenge. The sorcerer in the box completely terrified me but I also was happy Varys was getting his revenge on the creepy fucker.

Just a sorcerer in a box.

This whole story told to Tyrion is important because it tells us how much Varys hates magic and because he talks about how he does what he does to protect the realm. Not the Lannisters, not the Starks, but the realm. Varys is a complicated character but his motivations are laid bare before us in this conversation.

Varys also has a hilarious conversation with Ros about Podrick’s prowess in the sack. Apparently he is so amazing that the girls couldn’t even explain what happened. What’s going on here? Does Pod have two dicks or something? Ros is becoming quite the intel asset as she passes on to Varys that Littlefinger has secured fancy boat accommodation for two to the Vale and thinks he is planning to bring Sansa with him. Creepy.

I wanna gossip with these two. Sit at my lunch table you guys!

Everything about their conversation is amazing but I especially loved Oleanna saying that Sansa was nice but dull (TRUTH). Varys reveals Littlefinger’s plan to take Sansa with him to the Vale and what a potential Stark/Littlefinger pairing could mean. He likes Littlefinger but suspects he’d “Burn the North to the ground just to be king of the ashes” and tells Lady Oleanna that such a man can’t be trusted with such power. Together they conspire to set up Sansa with Loras — a match beneficial to both House Stark and House Martell (except poor Sansa has no clue she’d be a beard for our Loras).

Best old broad ever. Such a lady boner for her.

Lady Olenna also has a choice scene with Cersei where they discuss their children while Joffrey and Margaery are touring the sept/crypts. She gets a few choice digs in at Cersei and I feel as though I could watch Lady Oleanna bantering with every character on this show for a whole season. She knows Cersei is feeling insecure about losing Joff and being replaced by Margaery and is twisting the knife. Sooo good.

Margaery

The tv version of Margaery is an example of a character really coming to life in a way that I have loved. In the book you are never quite sure of her motivations and she is painted as more of an opportunistic gold digger than a complex character since she isn’t a POV character. On the show she comes across as crafty and opportunistic but also as warm, funny, intelligent and slightly terrified of what she will be navigating within the Red Keep. She knows she has walked in a viper’s nest and is trying to figure out the most peaceful way to exist there.

Master Manipulator

She has begun to understand what makes Joffrey tick and plays to his love of violence, his pride, his desire for power, and his lust. She convinces him that the people love him and makes him step outside with her to wave to his subjects. Because the people love Margaery, they will in turn accept Joff. Joff begins to wave and feels the love wash over him. He can get on board with this sort of thing because he is an egomaniac. Margaery is shades of Eva Peron and Princess Di in this and it’s brilliant.

The Princess Di of Westeros

Sadly there are no good bitchface competitions or sniping between Cersei and Margaery this week BUT we do get a scene where we see Margaery joking with Sansa (Porridge Plague! HA! Sansa, you are so dumb) this week. Margaery (no doubt from the instruction of her grandmother) encourages Sansa to begin thinking about Loras for a husband. Sansa’s heart nearly skips a beat because this has been her dream. Sansa, you are so dumb (said in the voice of Antoine Dodson).

Cersei

In addition to her scene with the Lady Oleanna, Cersei has a great moment with Tywin that features the most epic burn. Cersei asks her father to do more to recover Jamie and bring him back to the Red Keep. Her father shuts it down and tells her that if he was willing to start a war for Tyrion’s life then you better believe he is doing everything he can to save his favorite child.

The most epic of bitchfaces!

Cersei also takes this meeting as an opportunity to tell her father that just because she is a woman doesn’t mean he can’t confide in her so she may help him and contribute. Tywin responds and says “Okay, contribute. And it’s not because you are a woman. It’s because you aren’t half as smart as you think you are.” Then he tells her to rein in her idiot son. She tells him that he should give it a try and responds with a cold and amazing “I WILL.” FUCK YEAH! The fall of Cersei has begun.

Beyond the Wall

All hell breaks loose after another man of watch dies from apparent starvation. The half dead and starving men of the Nights Watch are all under extreme stress and decide it’s time to kill Craster and sack his house for food and hos. Of course the honorable Old Bear tries to stop the rebellion before Craster is killed and ends up getting a sword through the back.

The nastiest. Not mad you’re dead.

I guess this would all be shocking if they hadn’t foreshadowed the unrest in the Watch and how much of a douche rocket the dude who kills Commander Mormont is. Mormont keeps fighting even with a sword through his back and nearly kills his assailant. In the midst of the chaos Sam finds Gilly and tells her they have to run away if they are going to survive. She argues a little but then bundles her baby and follows our favorite cowardly fatty into the cold wild. Sam and Gilly: The Incredible Journey, begins.

Arya

The Hound is taken before the Brotherhood Without Banners and awaits his judgement. In an interesting speech he claims all he ever did was protect who he was sworn to protect (King Joffrey) and anything bad he did was in the name of this duty. The Hound hated his brother and makes it sound like he never murdered out of menace but out of duty. He’s just a pawn in the game.

Love her.

Arya steps forth and claims that he murdered the butcher’s boy in the first season or book. That boy was innocent and the Hound knew it. He was following Joffrey’s orders and didn’t feel an ounce of remorse for killing an innocent kid just to help Joffrey get back at Arya.

Arya’s screams of murder mean that the Brotherhood will try The Hound but in an interesting turn of events they allow a trial by battle against the returned leader of the Brotherhood – the one eyed (and pretty sexy) Berric Dondarrion. The next epi will start with a trial by battle.

Saving the best for last

DANY

Was there a more exhilarating last five minutes of a Game of Thrones episode ever?!? I happy cried and almost flipped a table. The thing is that I knew the whole time that Dany could speak High Valyrian and understood what the slaver was saying, but it didn’t make it any less awesome when she finally addressed the Unsullied in her mother tongue as she took the whip and handed over her unruly dragon.

A DRAGON IS NOT A SLAVE!

I am getting chills just writing about this and it happened over a week ago. The look of shock on everyone’s face is classic. The look on Creepy Ben Kingsley’s face as he realizes what is happening is epic. After he calls her a bitch and tells her that she needs to control the dragon she gives the best speech. “A DRAGON IS NOT A SLAVE!! I am Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen of the blood of Old Valyria. Valyrian is my mother tongue.” SHUT IT DOWN BITCH!

Dany then orders the unsullied to kill all of the slave owners but not to harm any child and she orders Drogon to blast CBK with a fireball. AMAZING. After the slaughter the Unsullied stand in formation and Dany surveys the scene. Her eyes are so intense and awesome and Emilia Clarke just kills it so hard in this whole sequence.

But WE are not men.

Dany addresses the Unsullied army before her and informs them that she will enslave no one. The Unsullied are free to go and no harm will come to them. No one moves. Then she asks if they will fight for her as free men and I get chills and start weeping a little. It’s silent for the briefest of moments and then one spear hits the ground and soon all of the Unsullied are banging their spears for the Mother of Dragons and freer of slaves. HELL YES! I was so overcome at this moment that I screamed “GET IT!!” at the computer screen and then just totally laughed/cried.

Drop the mic Stormborn! WERK!

As Dany rides away for Astaphor she does one more incredibly bad ass thing and drops the whip like she is fucking dropping a mic. I. CAN’T. HANDLE. THIS. Dany Targaryen has become the bad ass we all knew she could be. The Mother of Dragons has finally come to play and I love it. BEST EVER!

Sorry this is a week late yet again. I am finding there is so much to unpack after each episode that I need to watch again and I still don’t think I remember everything that happened. I am going to go to a different format for the latest episode so check for that later this week. Thanks for reading!

Now that’s what I’m talking about! Action, excitement, power plays, and an insanely amazing final 30 seconds of television. I stated in my episode one review that the first two episodes of each new season usually drag a bit. You feel as though you are watching someone set up dominoes and all you can think about is how you can’t wait for that moment when someone pushes on the first one and sets in motion the rapid and exciting collapse.

Book 3 is my favorite of the series and even though they are splitting the book into two seasons, I can safely say that so much happens in this book that we are headed for a roller coaster of action, emotion, drama, and violence. Prepare yourself for a wild ride for the remainder of the season. SO without further rambling – let’s go to Westeros!

Beyond The Wall

I am going to say this about the happenings beyond the wall as of right now — BORING. First we have Jon Snow, Mance Rayder and company stumbling upon what looks to be a sacrifice of horse parts from The Craft. They realize that many men of the Nights Watch have been killed and turned by the white walkers, which makes the urgency of the wildlings mission to storm the Wall much more immediate. Mance sends Jon and other ahead to scout the wall so that war may begin, but not much else happens there.

Not psyched about storming the castle.

The Nights Watch crew arrives at Crasters Keep where Craster continues to be the creepiest dude of all time as he threatens to shut up his daughter/wife’s labor pains by punching her in the face. He also teases Sam for being fat to the degree that Sam flees the cottage to find Gilly pushing out a little baby boy. We know from last season that a boy means he will be left out for the walkers as a sacrifice since Craster only wants to keep girls for doing his chores and banging. Things don’t look good for Gilly’s lil’ guy.

Astapor (Slavers Bay)

I have been looking forward to Dany becoming more of a badass queen after she was utterly useless last season. She now has both Barristan Selmy and Jorah Mormont on her side and she is ready to make a deal for her army. She walks the slavers walk of punishment and as she sees men chained up and dying in the sun you can sense her finally realizing that there are people who have suffered and do suffer far more than she ever has and ever will. She asks Jorah and Barristan for their counsel regarding the purchase of the unsullied and then heads to her meeting with the disgusting slave owner (who I’d like to refer to as creepy Ben Kingsley forevermore).

But WE are not men.

Dany tells creepy Ben Kingsley (CBK) she wants all of the unsullied and he basically laughs in her face as she can’t afford such a thing. He does the math for her and then asks how she is going to pay for everything. She offers a dragon. (GASP! Okay, not really – I’ve read the books). Barristan and Jorah both try to talk sense to her in front of CBK and she swats them away.

The slaver demands two dragons but she also smacks him down and says he can have the biggest dragon and she will take all of the unsullied, including the half trained boys, AND she’ll take CBK’s translator Missandei as a sign of good faith on the pact. DAMN DANY — way to bargain like a queen.

WERK

Let’s just say it, bitch totally owned it in this scene. As she exits the meeting and the men try to make her reconsider she really lets it fly and tells them NEVER TO QUESTION HER IN FRONT OF OTHERS AGAIN — unless they’d no longer like to be in her service. Atta’ girl.

When Missandei says “Valor Margholis” to her she responds in the most kick ass way possible – “Yes, all men must die, but WE are not men.” CHILLS. She is being the queen we knew she was meant to be since she emerged from the flames with her baby dragons. Get it Khaleesi!

Riverrun

Catelyn Stark’s father has died and is being sent down the river in a viking funeral. What a fitting introduction to the fuckwit Edmure Tully (her little bro) and Brynden “Blackfish” Tully (her dashing and no bullshit uncle). This show is brilliant because in just one wordless scene we see what an ineffective oaf Edmure is (bitch can’t even fire a flaming arrow at his father’s funeral pyre) and how the Blackfish must push him out of the way and save the day. I love how the Blackfish shot the arrow and didn’t even need to look that it hit because he knew. SWAGGER!

Edmure = douche rocket

Back at the castle our suspicions of Edmure being a total shit are confirmed when we find out he’s been taking men out on pointless attacks against the Lannister army in an effort to bring himself glory. Both the Blackfish and Rob chastise him supremely harshly and finally it seems that the show is sort of letting us know exactly how fucked Robb Stark is. Things aren’t looking great for the King in the North.

Catelyn also gets in a nice sad scene talking about her dad and how she used to wait for him to come home from war by the window and wonders if Bran and Rickon did the same for her. She tells Blackfish she is sure they are dead but he makes her promise to keep pretending for Robb’s sake.

Get a load of this idiot one more time.

Robb’s wife also gets a scene which makes me find her slightly less annoying as she tells a young captured Lannister that her husband only turns into a wolf on full moons after the boy asks if the rumors are true that he turns into a wolf and eats his captives. For being a pretty lame character, I thought this was kind of funny and at least offers a bit of insight into why Robb would completely fuck up his cause and break his pact with the Freys just to marry this chick.

The Red Keep/Kings Landing

I’ll be damned if I didn’t laugh the hardest at the scene where Tywin sets up his chairs for the council meeting on one side of the table while he sits at the head. It’s little power plays like this that just crack me up. Littlefinger and Varys enter the chamber and only look at each other, raise their eyebrows, and take seats.

The Lannister children won’t stand for this and when Cersei enters the room she pulls a chair from the side of the table and then plunks it down next to her father. I don’t know why this was so amusing – but I could watch Cersei’s bitch faces and power playing ways all damn day. Tyrion enters the room and instead of pulling a chair closer to his father, he takes a chair and pulls it to the opposite end of the table, as far away from Cersei and Tywin as possible. After Tywin’s shitty treatment of Tyrion he definitely deserves this non-verbal bitch slap.

Sooo good.

What we don’t see coming though (okay, I did because I have read the books) is that Littlefinger is moving to the Vale to woo and marry Lysa Arryn and there is a vacancy for master of coin. Tywin gives Tyrion the job, much to the half man’s chagrin. Tyrion soon learns that all Littlefinger has been doing is borrowing millions and millions from the bank of Braavos and this can not end well. Yikes.

In lighter and more hilairous news – Podrick Payne is an animal in the sack. As repayment for saving his life and being a loyal squire Tyrion and Bronn purchase Pod several whores to swipe his v-card. Podrick’s eyes are as big as saucers as the ladies do gymnastic moves and touch up on him. Tyrion leaves a pouch of money and tells Pod to have a good time on him.

Bobcat in the sack

Pod returns to Tyrion’s room where Bronn and Tyrion are hanging out and plunks Tyrion’s money down on the table. Apparently Pod was such a champ in sheets that the whores didn’t want his money. Hilarious. Who knew? Bronn and Tyrion make him pull up a seat and tell them his secrets. Bro bonding at the Keep! Love it.

Arya

Arya only gets one (adorable) scene this week, but damn if it didn’t break my heart a little. The Brotherhood without Banners are taking Gendry and Arya with them on the road but Hot Pie is being left behind to bake at the inn after they discovered he makes amazing bread. I am sure Hot Pie is more than a little relieved at this news but is going to miss his only friends.

Together one last time.

The goodbye is totally preshy because Hot Pie bakes Arya a loaf of bread shaped like a wolf. Maybe because I was watching this with three others chicks – but there was a collective “Awwww” in the room after this scene. Arya and Gendry wave goodbye to their portly friend and Arya takes a bite of the bread as they trot off and yells back “It’s really good.” Man, I love that girl.

Theon

Theon is aided by a man he considers to be a friend of his sister in his escape from the torture chamber. He flees but finds he is quickly hunted by four men on horseback. It’s obvious the wounded Theon is no match for them but as he is about to be killed, the four men are shot down with a crossbow and killed. Theon’s savior is the same man who helped him escape. As the last man is dying he looks at his murderer and mutters “You bastard.” If Theon’s savior is who I think he is, this is pretty hilarious. More on that in later episodes.

And because I save the best for last…

Brienne and Jamie

The Maid of Tarth and the Kingslayer have been captured by some rogue Bolton bannermen and it’s bad news bears all around. As the two (adorably sitting on the same horse – more fodder for my fan fic) are being lead through the woods, Jamie brings up some unpleasant conversation. Jamie is worth a hefty ransom and the favor of the King of the North (or lots of gold from the Lannisters – depending on what these rogue bannermen decide), but Brienne is worthless to them.

Tied together, back to back – my favorite couple

Jamie tells Brienne this and he also tells her she is going to be gang raped most likely. He tells her not to fight and just imagine something else. Of course he knows she will fight and she will also die because of it. The look of fear on Brienne’s face is just heartbreaking. Brienne tells Jamie she’s going to fight – what else can she do. She’ll die before she lets that happen. She asks Jamie what he’d do and he responds that he’d fight to the death too — except he knows he’ll never know that fear since he is a man. Awful.

Two badass mofos

Later that night as Jamie is being tied to a tree and Brienne is starting to fight off the men – Jamie does something that starts his path into being one of the show’s more noble characters. Even though he doesn’t have to do it – he lies and tells the leader (Locke) that Brienne is worth a hefty ransom as she comes from the Isle of Sapphires. He is fairly cocky during the exchange and tells the man they’ll only get a reward if she is returned “unbesmirched”. The look of pride on Jamie’s face at his lie and his big boy vocabulary word is completely epic.

The best.

Locke calls off the raping of the maid and Jamie has saved her honor and her life, though he had no reason to. She is tied against the tree across from him and the look of gratefulness and confusion she has when looking at Jamie is pretty wonderful. She doesn’t understand but must assume that he has struck a deal for her. Jamie is feeling so confident about his persuasive powers that he tries to get the men to free him, promising Lannister riches for all. And for a brief moment we think this man has taken the bait. Jamie is untied and brought to the fire, presumably to have dinner with the men.

You just had to get cocky didn’t you?

Jamie shoots Brienne a look like “I got this” and starts walking toward the campfire. In a harrowing final minute of the show – Jamie is pressed down on a tree stump like a chopping block. He is taunted and reminded “You’re nothing without your daddy, and your daddy ain’t here.” As I was watching this and the blade was traced over Jamie’s eye, my one friend yelled “Not his face. He’s so hot!” and then yelped in great surprise as his sword hand was swiftly chopped off.

Your daddy ain’t here!

“BUT THAT’S HIS IDENTITY” – she yelled. Oh yes, indeed. The Kingslayer is about to embark on a serious change of character and it’s going to be amazing if it’s anything like the books. As we cut to the credits we are left only with Jamie’s howl of pain and the Hold Steady singing “The Bear and the Maiden Fair.” SHIT JUST GOT REAL Y’ALL!!

Thanks for reading. Sorry last weeks episode was written up. Brem and I sort of didn’t communicate well and so episode 2 might not ever get a recap. I hope you can forgive us — or just read another recap of it somewhere else.

Hey everyone, I want to give you a totally awesome excuse as to why this recap didn’t come sooner as the next episode has already aired in America, but I don’t have one. I apologize for being completely awful about blogging. This next admission won’t make this any easier, but I might have also been drunk on mulled wine while watching this episode.

The best purchase ever.

My friends and I had a premiere party where we ate like Robert Baratheon and I drank like Tyrion Lannister. And I wore a direwolf shirt and shouted things like “My dragons” and “Winter is coming bitches” a few times at the screen. So yeah, that’s what I’ve been up to in Japan.

This recap might be not the most in depth or insightful but I promise to do better next time. Actually – Brem is writing up episode 2 so it should be more prompt. Heads up – I am completely nerdy for these books and this show but I promise to do my best and not spoil or foreshadow any future plot points. So let’s go to Westeros. Apologies in advance for my booze addled thoughts.

Beyond The Wall

We last left Jon Snow as a captive of the free folk of the North. The episode starts with Ygritte bringing him through the wildlings camp to meet Mance Rayder. I have to say that the actress playing Ygritte is doing a damn fine job. Her taunting and sexual chemistry with Jon Snow is so ridiculously great.

I love how she teases him by saying that Mance will kill him if he doesn’t believe him (which is actually true) but you can tell she has a real affection for him and is totally checking him out. In her defense — Kit Harrington does make me think dirty things so I don’t blame the girl. How bad ass was Ygritte taking down one of the kids throwing shit at Jon with a flick of her staff, Master Splinter style? Such a lady crush on her, even if she is a ginger.

John gets taken in to meet the King Beyond the Wall but because Mance is a tricky man he hangs back and watches Jon make a fool of himself by bowing to one of his underlings — the Magnar of Thenn. Ygritte and the boys all get a kick out of this until Mance gets down to business and questions why Jon Snow would leave the Nights Watch.

There is a tense exchange that I can’t remember because Jon Snow is just so dreamy, but basically he says he wants to fight the wights who are coming and doesn’t believe the Nights Watch is doing enough. In the end, Mance believes Jon or is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt as he orders him to get a new cloak. Awww yeah. Jon Snow has infiltrated the camp.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate this?

Also beyond the wall is Samwell Tarly, cowering like a craven as a wight approaches him. The walkers are genuinely gnarly. Just as Sam is about to be attacked, Ghost (the best direwolf of all) and then Commander Mormont save the day. We find out that Sam failed to do the one thing that he was supposed to do in the event of an attack — get ravens off to the castle to inform the brothers at the wall of what was coming. Poor Sam, he can’t do anything right these days.

Across the Narrow Sea

Drunk Thoughts

1) Dany is sooo pretty. She is even prettier as a brunette. I wonder if she dyes her hair or if that is a wig? I also wonder out loud if Dany and Jon Snow ever banged in real life because that is the fan fiction of my dreams.

How is this picture not in flames from hotness?

2) The dothraki are vomiting on the boat. I hate vomit, but not as much as dothraki hate the sea.

3) When is Dany going to learn not to trust people in market places? She has a soft spot for children and slaves and it’s going to be a problem. Thank god that Ser Barristan Selmy saves the day and kills the terrifying poisonous robot scorpion contraption sent by the child warlock. I hate their creepy purple mouths. Nightmares.

4) Jorah Mormont looks really sexy this season. Like whoa. Have I been in Japan for too long that I find nearly all the men on this show to be super hot?

No one is mad about this.

5) The unsullied terrify me. I had to turn away and try not to yak mulled wine when the dude’s nipple was being cut off.

The Unsullied and their desensitized nipples.

6) Looks like we have met Missandei – the girl translator for Dany who goes on to become a bigger character in the books. She seems pretty cool. We also had some solidly funny scenes with the slave owner saying terrible things and Missandei tactfully trying to figure out what to translate.

7) THE DRAGONS ARE AWESOME! Looks like they upped the CGI budget this season.

Wee Drogon

8) Barristan Selmy rules. It takes nearly a whole book for Dany to find out who he is, but on the show he just comes forth and presents his name. If you can’t remember, Barristan the Bold was exiled in the first season by Joffrey even though he was the best and truest knight of the Kingsguard. He’s like a hot grandpa and I love him.

The Onion Knight

Davos Seaworth, the Onion Knight, lives!! HUZZAH!

Drunk Thoughts

1) Davos looks really messed up. I appreciate this because in the book he is described as barely clinging to life.

2) Davos stays loyal and proclaims Stannis to be his true king when picked up by a group of pirates. Saying the wrong name could have cost him his life but he follows his heart and gives his loyalty to his best bro.

Looking pretty scurry

Davos is returned to Dragonstone and is immediately brought before Stannis and Melisandre. Sidenote – I don’t know what is happening but Stannis is looking mighty fine this season. One of my friends claims that this is because this episode is really well lit. Not sure I buy it.

3) I really hate Melisandre for pushing Davos’s buttons. He just lost three sons and many men in a battle he fought for Stannis. He stayed loyal and true and almost died and this is the welcome he gets? BULLSHIT.

4) I have a hard time believing Stannis would be this much of a dick to his number two man upon his miraculous survival.

Oddly hot but kind of a dick.

5) Loved that Davos tried to kill Melisandre on the spot and blamed her for not helping them in the Battle of Blackwater. She is awful and I would totally try to strangle her too. Even if it meant that I was sent to the dungeons like our buddy Davos.

The King in the North

Drunk Thoughts

– BORRRRINGGGGG

– Robb is finally seeing that war comes at a terrible cost as he stumbles onto a castle (I think it’s Harrenhaal) and finds piles and piles of bodies. This doesn’t look good for the young King in the North. Winning battles but losing the war is his specialty these days.

Kings Landing

Tyrion Scenes

Drunk Thoughts

1) Bronn is oddly sexy. I know that’s wrong, but I don’t want to be right. I always have liked him since he’s a rogue and a wildcard in the whole game of thrones. Pod interrupting his fuck sesh was pretty classic. Anyone else go “Awwww POD!” upon seeing Tyrion’s squire (and savior)? More Bronn please!!

Best bros.

2) Tyrion really is the best person ever. I love everything about him. I thought Peter Dinkelage turned in another fine performance here with his conversations with both Cersei and Tywin. You could really sense his depth of vulnerability and hurt that his father never came to see him when he was extremely injured. Tyrion basically saved Kings Landing while Joffrey cowered and his reward has been being replaced by his dad as the hand of the king AND finding out he will not inherit Lannisport. Way harsh Ty. (Zing — I’ve been waiting to use that one).

More like Asshole of the King.

3) Tyrion’s comeback to Cersei was comic gold after she disparages his new living situation – “Grand Maester Pycelle made the same joke. You should be proud to be as funny as someone whose balls brush his ankles.” AMAZEBALLS.

4) Cersei tries to threaten Tyrion by telling him about her network of spies in the castle. He doesn’t give a shit because the half man is the smartest person in Westeros. Cersei is obviously nervous now that Jamie isn’t around and her father is back. She fears Tyrion spilling the truth about the twin fucking or any number of sins. I love that Tyrion isn’t cowed by her ridiculousness as he lets her know he is ten times more clever than she is.

(P)imp

5) Was there anything more awful than the exchange between Tywin and Tyrion as Tyrion tried to ask his father for his birthright, Lannisport? Twyin makes it clear that not only will Tyrion not receive his land, money or titles, but he also loathes and distrusts his own son, a son who had just saved the kingdom. Awful. Poor half man.

Cersei

1) Cersei is going to be fun to watch this season. Not only is she terrified of Tyrion scheming against her, but now she is also worried about her position in court. Now that Joffrey’s young, beautiful, and beloved fiance is at Kings Landing, she is old news and has already faded to the background in the eyes of her sociopath son and her subjects.

The most epic of bitchfaces!

2) Love Cersei and Tyrion verbally sparring.

3) Cersei’s faces as she interacts with Margaery are pretty much amazing. The realization that Margaery now has more sway over Joffrey than she does is pretty painful for her and I love it! Can’t wait for their future passive aggressive bitch fights and plenty of subtext.

For real. Did she go to bitchface drama academy to get that scowl? Loves it.

4) Joffrey is such a douche – I wonder if Cersei thinks about slapping his face as often as I do.

Margaery/Joffrey

1) Cersei isn’t the only queen playing the Game of Thrones. Lil’ heart shaped face Margaery is also quite good at playing Joffrey and the people. How much of her stopping at the orphanage is genuine and how much is an act? Does she really love the people or does she realize that she is marrying a hateful monster and the only way to survive anything is to become a beloved figure of the commoners?

2) Margaery is either very cunning or very sweet – but I think I will stick with cunning for now. She is the Princess Di of Kings Landing and Joff knows he maybe just found a way to become more likeable. Better stick with this one Joff.

The Princess Di of Westeros

3) Looking forward to a lot more scenes of Margaery and Cersei being pleasantly awful to each other this season. Nothing like really angry passive aggressive Cersei battles.

4) Is anyone else still disappointed that Loras Tyrell isn’t hotter? In the books he is basically described as the sexiest man in Westeros.

The worst.

Sansa

Sansa is adrift at Kings Landing now that she has been cast aside as Joff’s future bride. She is only glimpsed briefly here as we are given a bit of foreshadowing with Littlefinger’s plans to take her away from the castle. Our two former prostitutes with hearts of gold (Roz and Shae) quietly talk while Littlefinger, the perv, creeps on Sansa and promises her safety.

Disgusting

Roz tells Shae to keep on an eye on Sansa, especially around Littlefinger. That Roz knows what’s up. Shae promises to protect and look after her lady the best she can. In other news, Sansa finds out Arya is alive, or at least was, the last time Littlefinger had heard. YAY!

Overall Vibe – After getting over the initial drunken bliss of being back in Westeros I have to admit that I think the first two or three episodes of each season are a bit tedious. There was a lot a going on here and we didn’t even glimpse Arya, Brienne and Jamie, Bran and plenty of other characters who will soon become important. Hopefully all of the exposition and plotting we are seeing now start paying off with exciting action and sexy times within a few episodes.

I have great hope as I feel that most seasons start off slow and build to something awesome like the Battle of the Blackwater last season or what I know will likely be the finale this season. Thanks for reading this, I promise less drunk thoughts and a much better recap next time. Winter is coming!

Over in Japan, Spring is in the air. The cherry blossoms are blooming, I don`t want to die when I sit on a cold toilet seat, and I just had my first road trip of the season. Is there anything better than getting into a car with a bunch of your friends, rolling down the windows and hitting the open road with the music blasting? Okay, I could probably think of a few things but all of them are dirty and involve Ryan Gosling and a chocolate fountain so let`s not get into it here because my mom reads this blog (Hi Mom!).

Oh and one last thing. My friend Molly and I have started a twitter account that is basically the greatest/most awful and inappropriate things we chat about on g-chat. The tweets are pulled from actual g-chat conversations we’ve been having for months while being bored at work. We thought it was rude to keep all of this hilarity to ourselves so in the spirit of Easter and giving – we bring you Assholes on G-chathttps://twitter.com/chataintright. Follow us, promote us to your friends and when we’re famous we’ll totally pretend we remember your name.

Anyway, the weekend road trip has inspired this week’s entry — ultimate road trippin’ songs! So without further hesitation – my list. Please feel free to add your favorite jams in the comment section. Looking forward to getting a few new ideas for my next trip!

Road Trip Tunes (In No Particular Order because I am not spending two hours making you lazy jerks the perfect playlist)

No Diggity – Blackstreet – I feel like this one hits particularly with those of us who remember wearing Calvin Klein t-shirts and mini-backpacks we bought at Claire’s to middle school dances in the mid 90s. But for real. I dare you not start singing this when you hear the words `Shorty get down, good lord…` Impossible.

The Chain – Fleetwood Mac – Really any Fleetwood Mac song will suffice on a road trip because they are amazing but there is something primal and intense about this one. You can tell that some serious hate fucking was going down when Lindsey and Stevie wrote this. I particularly recommend the version off the live album The Dance. Just yell singing `Cha-aiiii-aiinnnnnnn — keep us together!` over and over again is so fucking great. Bonus – there are amazing opportunities for epic air bass and air guitar.

Ooh La La – The Faces – For those of you not up on your Rod Stewart before he went solo then basically this is the song that goes `I wish that I knew what I know now…when I was younger. I WISH.THAT. I knew what I know now. When I was stronger` and he sings Oooh La La quite a few times too. Basically, it`s as close as Rod Stewart ever got to perfection outside of his beautiful 80s mullet.

You’re welcome ladies. Enjoy that Kentucky waterfall.

Always Be My Baby – Mariah Carey – Sing it with me ladies (and men who are comfortable with their love of Mimi) -” Doo doo doo doh, doo doo doo doo doo doo doh. We were as one babe, for a moment in timmmmmme. And it seemed everlasting that you would always be minnnnneeeeeeeee.” Let`s just all flashback to listening to Mariah on our portable discmans on the back of the school bus and smile. Thank you. Great sing-along for a girl road trip because erryone knows the words.

Ignition (Remix) – R. Kelly – Please. If you don`t instinctively go “Awww yeah” when you hear the beginning of this song then we probably aren’t friends and will never be friends. Also, let’s just all admit that at one point in time in college our AIM away message was “Sippin’ on Coke and Rum. I’m like so what I’m drunk. It’s the freaking weekend, baby I’m about to have me some fun.”

Laid – James – This is that song that you always heard in the dive bar you went to in college about getting laid. If you don`t think you know it, I guarantee you do. It starts with `This bed is on fire with passionate love, the neighbors complain about the noise from above…`. Basically what is great is that this song is super dirty and catchy and ends with everyone trying to go into their falsetto to sing `LaaaaaIDDDDDDDDDDDDD, LaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID` and it is a beautiful moment. Go for those high notes y`all, the windows are down and your friends are hopefully not a pack of dogs.

Sympathy for the Devil or Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones – The Jim Beddall classics of my car ride. Because sometimes you are on a road trip with your dad from Pennsylvania to Florida and musically what you can both agree upon is how great both The Roots (yes, my dad loves the Roots) and The Stones are and then you put on Let it Bleed, start up Gimme Shelter and both start shout singing `War, Children. It`s just a shot away. It`s just a shot away!!!!!!!!!!!` very loudly on I-95. And if Gimme Shelter isn’t your thing then Sympathy for the Devil has a great rhythm section at the beginning and then you get to do all the “doo doos” if you don`t really know all the words. Road trip perfection.

Basically anything by Prince – Do I even need to explain how great singing Prince in the car is? I hope not but in case you aren’t convinced just add When Doves Cry, Kiss, Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret or Let’s Go Crazy to your mix and watch your whole car go crazy.

The best.

Say It Ain’t So – Weezer – I know this shows up on my ultimate karaoke jamz list too, but seriously guys, everyone seems to know the words to it and you don’t need a particularly good voice to sing along. Plus it’s so satisfying singing the chorus – `Say it ain’t soooooooooo-whooooooaaaaaa`.

Lovefool – The Cardigans – Dear I fear we’re facing a problem if you love this song no longer. Easily one of my favorite (and best) pop songs of the late 90s. If you don`t know all the words to the song like I do after listening to the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack a LOT in seventh grade then I guarantee you can at least join along for the chorus of `Love me, love me, saaaaay that you love me. Fool me, fool me, go on foooool me. Love me, love me, say that you love. Leave me, Leave me, just say that you need me. I can’t care about anything but you`. Candy pop perfection.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love – The Darkness – This song reminds me of living in Ireland my sophomore year of college (shout out to the Dublin crew). The Darkness were insanely big in Europe and the minute I heard this song I knew I was destined to shout sing it from my little Tercel on all future road trips. Not only do you get to sing in a faux British accent, you also get to shout sing in a high Freddie Mercury style falsetto and have the opportunity for really intense air guitar solos. Sing it now – TOUCHING YOOOOUUUUUU, TOUCHING MEEEEEE! Yeah, done and done.

Hey Ya – Outkast – Another not quite old school but almost old school crowd pleaser that everyone knows and can seat dance to. We all like shaking it like a Poloroid picture and the Ladies and Fellas shout-outs in the song because they are magical.

Say My Name – Destiny`s Child – Another repeat off the karaoke jamz list but that is only because it is so magical. If your car is full of ladies you can try for the harmonies and Beyonce is pretty much perfection whether she is flying solo or heading up DC. No playlist is complete without Queen B.

I totally forgot there used to be four of them!

Gin and Juice – Snoop Dogg – Okay, so when I wanted to throw some old school rap on here, what I really wanted to put on was Juicy by Biggie because that is my personal preference. Biggie’s flow is obvi the best in the biz but the more popular and easily sung to rap was chosen and the D-O-double G wins the day. Plus, it’s a really great rap song and it`s about rolling down the streets smoking and drankin.

Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes – Everything about this song. Everything. The fact that your voice doesn’t even need to be close to great to sing it, the fact that it’s what Angela Chase danced to after she realized she was finally over Jordan Catalano, the fact that it is so perfectly 90s and that people both 15 years older and 10 years younger than me can universally agree that it`s great to shout/sing is enough for me. LET ME GO ONNNNNNNNN…..LIKE A BLISTER IN THE SUN!

This youtube clip of Claire Danes dancing to this song pretty much goes to show that Claire Danes has always and will always rule.

And now for the songs that I recognize aren`t for everyone but are undeniably for me. If you don`t like it, then get outta my car jerkface.

Ex-Factor – Lauryn Hill – This song just makes me put on my sunglasses so you don`t see me cry, grip my chest like I am having a heart attack a few times and just really belt the pain. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was THE album of my mid teenager years and will never die. I whipped this out on road trip this weekend and I think I made one friend feel pretty uncomfortable with all my emoting and another friend was just as into it as I was. Know your audience, or be like me and not give a fuck.

THE album of my teens.

Anything by Paul Simon – Graceland, Late in the Evening, Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes, anything in the Simon and Garfunkel collection. Paul Simon is pretty much one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time and I can guarantee that he will be on my road tripping playlist. I recognize he is not for everyone, but I also recognize that a lot of people have terrible taste. Paul for the win! My personal favorite Paul road trip song is Graceland because it`s just so beautiful and perfect.

The Rat – Walkmen – I like to get a few good angry sings in while I drive and this song by The Walkmen is full of fury and break-up rage but is also extremely catchy and not like MegaDeath angry. A perfect pop-rock ripper.

Anything by Rilo Kiley/Jenny Lewis/Fiona Apple — Sometimes I gotta get my girl angst out and feel my feelings for two seconds. Any song by Rilo Kiley, Jenny Lewis or Fiona Apple will usually suffice. I usually don`t do this with gents in the car — so broads in my car — it`s happening. We can sing our feelings. It will be great.

Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper – See above. Except I have no problem singing this with dudes in the car. Ya been warned.

Parks and Rec knows what’s up.

What’s on your road trippin’ playlist? Please share in the comments or on my twitter (https://twitter.com/eebeddall) or facebook because I love hearing from you. Smooches. Get ready for our Game of Thrones recaps starting next week!